Married To A CEO. Omega
Chapter 80: Side Story-12

Chapter 80: Side Story-12

JOHN

I am pretty sure that if we were in a movie then there would have been big "SILENCE" and "AWKWARD" words flying over our heads as we eat our dinners in defending silence. There is particularly no sound escape Leo making some short chats with my mother and my dad asking a few short questions Erwin.

My father occasionally shoots glares in our direction. I am stiff with nervousness and let Ruth grab my hand under the table and squeeze it occasionally reassuringly as he silently eats his mashed potato.

We arrived just a few hours ago and since then my father hasn’t spoken to me a word. He is just giving me the looks that tell me that, "You are so wrong. You are too naive. You know nothing. I am disappointed in you. You have let me down." And etcetera. This makes me even more nervous than I already am.

However, Ruth shows no sign of nervousness or awkwardness as he sits by my side, my hand on his. He is telling me that he is fine. He loves me and I shouldn’t worry this much. We will be fine by his gestures and looks. He is trying his best to keep me comfortable when I feel like someone is constantly trying to choke me and wants me dead.

"Brother." Steve’s small hands tug on the hem of my shirt and call me in his meek voice. He is awkward too. "C-can I have that?" He points at the smashed potato, his eyes gleaming with anticipation and a hint of hesitance.

"Of course." I pat his head as I serve the potato on his plate and ask warmly, "Do you need anything else, Steve? You can tell me."

Steve shakes his head slowly, "I want to eat only this."

"Okay." I take a napkin and wipe his face gently as he has got food all over his face. I guess I need to teach him how to eat properly these days too. "Tell me if you need anything. I will give it to you."

"Okay." he nods slowly as he dips his spoon in his mouth and his eyes are instantly lightening up. He takes a few mouthfuls of the spoon of the potato in his mouth.

I smile mildly at him before turning my attention to the table and picking up my spoon again.

"How old is he?" My stepmother asks, her voice very kind and gentle. Exactly the polar opposite of my actual mother.

"He is turning seven this year," I speak with equal respect in my voice and my words.

"Seven?" My stepmother gasps, "He seems too little to be this old. Is he suffering from malnutrition?" She asks with concern in her brown eyes. To think she is genuinely worried about us when our own mother has left us on our own and given her life for something allied with ’love’.

I am in love too. I am in love with Ruth but I don’t think I can ever do something like that like she did. I don’t actually think she was able to love anyone in her life. If she did then she wouldn’t left us like this to go to the love of her life. I think she was just scared. Too scared to take responsibility for us. To love us and make us feel loved. She was selfish and so she is not with us anymore. If I ever get to see her again someday then I just want to ask her a question. I want to ask her if she is happy now. I want to ask her if she is at peace now after leaving her children behind for no good reason.

Yes, I loath my mother. I loath her for making me listen to those words from other children my age, "Where is your mother?" "Call your mother." "Bring your mother to the parents-teacher meeting." and all. She was the reason that always made me feel like I was empty. There is something not in my life. It is not fulfilled. She is the reason that I loathe her.

But I don’t want Steve to loathe her. He is too small for the burden of hatred. His pure soul shall be pure for the rest of his life. He shall never know what it means to hate and what it means to be empty and lonely. I will make sure that he is kept pure for the rest of his life. No misfortune shall touch him.

"No." I shake my head. "I visited the doctor for this reason but they say that he is completely fine. There is nothing wrong with his body but still he is growing up too slowly. They couldn’t explain it. They said maybe it’s in his genetics. There is no explanation for his lack of growth other than that."

"W-was your mother very small?" She hesitates before pushing these words through her lips. She looks instantly very tense and looks at my father who is sitting next to her with a steel face. "I-I am sorry if I am being too inappropriate." She rubs her palms against her thighs nervously.

"No, no it’s fine," I assure her. "Yes, she was a little too small even for average omegas. She was a fragile woman."

"Oh." She manages to give me a strained smile. "So I think it’s natural that he is so small. He is possibly an omega. Take care of him very carefully, okay?" The corner of her eyes is twinkling. She is happy to have a normal conversation with me. And I am happy too. I was really hoping that I could fix my strained relationship with her.

As the whole table is about to exhale a breath in relief, my father stands up, almost startling me out of my skin. "John, take your boyfriend and be at my study in an hour after dinner. I want to talk with you two." He casts a glance at my stepmother and adds, "Alone." He strides out of the room and upstairs, without looking backward even once. His expression remains stony and unreadable the whole time.

I can feel my heart palpating against my chest as a snake slithers up to my throat and squeezes my lungs with its tail fiercely. My lungs are so tight that I can’t breathe. I feel so nauseated that I want to throw up all the dishes I have stuffed down in one go.

"We will be fine." Ruth whispers into my ear as he squeezes my hand more warmly and tightly, "We have got this, John don’t worry, and try to calm yourself. You don’t look well."

I try to steady my breath that was getting lost on the way to my nostrils from my lungs. I stiffly nod and look down at my food. That is looking like ashes to me at this moment. Leo reaches out and grabs my other hand holding my fork very tightly that the knuckles have turned white and squeezes it reassuringly.

"Don’t worry, John." He speaks, his voice filled with tenderness and warmth, "You are a very good person and you love Ruth dearly. I am sure your father will understand. Don’t overthink and quit worrying. I know you will be fine."

I manage a strained smile and at last, exhale the air that I was holding in myself for very long.

***

"It’s your little sister, Steve." I lift Steve up to let him see the red-haired girl sleeping in her crib peacefully. She is so small and so gorgeous that it’s very heartwarming. She has the same mole as mine.

She is my sister. Half-sister anyway. But she isn’t actually related to Steve but I have come to show him her anyway. Martha, my stepmother told me to let me see Steve the baby. Marry, my half-sister is only two months now.

"She is so gorgeous..." Leo particularly bends over the crib to see the baby sleeping in there. I have always knows he is very good with children. But to think he had to go through such an accident when he, himself was pregnant...it’s really heart breaking.

"Do you like her?" I ask slowly.

"Yes... she is very pretty." He turns to me slightly, "And she looks like you." he smiles softly and his smile brings a smile to my lips too. He is such a gorgeous man...

"Oh, John I am really glad that you came," Martha says, her eyes gleaming with compassion, "Do you like your sister?"

I hand Steve to Leo who is practically boring a hole through Mary and turns to Martha, "Please. You don’t need to thank me or anything. Steve and I really like Mary. She is very gorgeous."

"I am glad to hear that you like your sister." She smiles warmly, "And other than that your father is waiting for you in his study. Please be a bit patient with him. He may be a bit strict but I am sure he will understand your feelings. Okay?" He grabs my hand and squeezes it warmly. "I wish you luck."

"Thank you." I smile and then slip my hand out of her grasp gently and leave for the study.

My heart is beating against my chest as I make my way to the study. I spot Ruth standing alone before the closed door of the study stiffly.

"Hey." I weakly smile at him as I stand beside him.

He takes my hand and takes in a deep breath and smiles back at me, "Are you ready?"

"You bet." I grin at him as I squeeze his hand.

"Let’s go." he knocks on my father’s door.